Yesterday, mass demonstrations took place in front of the Central Bank in the Iraqi capital Baghdad to protest against the growth of the dollar, and the protesters called on government agencies to urgently intervene to limit this growth. after his dismissal from the same position, due to “financial setbacks” that took place during his term of office in the previous period.
Al-Alaq held this position for about six years, from 2014 to 2020. After his appointment, Al-Alaq promised “a deadline to bring the exchange rate back to normal”.
Al-Sudani’s decision to reappoint Al-Alaq came in anticipation of demonstrations called for by Iraqi activists in front of the Iraqi Central Bank to denounce the dinar’s depreciation crisis against the dollar, which has reached its climax. 1660 dinars per dollar, which has not been previously recorded in Iraq for almost 19 years.
In addition, yesterday Lebanese blocked the road in front of the Lebanese Central Bank in Beirut in protest against deteriorating living conditions and the high dollar. Protesters set fire to tires on Hamra Street in Beirut amidst army reinforcements in the vicinity of a bank.
Yesterday, the dollar on the parallel market hit £56,000 for the first time in Lebanese history, and fuel prices rose as well, so that the price of each canister (20 liters) of diesel and gasoline reached over one million pounds for the first time as well.
The protesters criticized the occasional circulars issued by the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, undermining the savings of depositors in banks, urging citizens to take to the roads and close them.
Protesters also blocked roads in the north, south and east of the country with trucks and cars to protest the high dollar and deteriorating conditions.
